Long
Island Interfaith Environment Network (LIIEN)

There
is growing interest among many religious institutions around the
world in good stewardship of the planet earth. LIIEN is working to foster this interest on Long
Island, to create positive change.

Our committee
was developed to educate leaders and facility managers about energy
efficiency and renewable energy technologies that they can implement
in their places of worship.

This will:

1) reduce the negative impact
of the house of worship's operations on the environment

2) potentially
save money on energy bills

3) provide a role model
to encourage congregants/parishioners to take steps to use energy
more wisely.

We have expanded to include ways to reduce waste and toxins in and around congregation buildings as well.

A
Growing Movement

Concern
for environmental issues, particularly the effects of climate change, is becoming
more and more an important issue for people of faith. Organizations
around the country are focusing on the intersection of faith and
environmental action.

There
have been a number of stories in the national press including
the New York Times, and PBS's Moyers
on Americaconcerning this movement.

Why
are Global Warming and Clean Energy Issues of Faith and Morality?

1.) Love God / The
Divine -- Stewardship of Creation

2.) Love neighbors
/ fellow humans -- Environmental
Justice

Stewardship of Creation

The earth is
the Lords and all that is in it, the world, and all those
who live in it. Psalm 24:1

The Holy Blessed
One took the first human, and passing before all the trees of
the Garden of Eden, said, See my works, how fine and excellent
they are! All that I created, I created for you. Reflect on this,
and do not corrupt or desolate my world; for if you do, there
will be no one to repair it after you.  Midrash Ecclesiastes
Rabbah 7:13

Greater indeed
than the creation of humankind is the creation of the heavens
and the earth. Yet, most of humanity does not understand.
Qur'an 40:57

The earth should
not be injured, the earth must not be destroyed! St. Hildegard
of Bingen

The earth we
inherit is in danger . As the wonder of natures integrity
has been our delight, so the horror of natures disintegration
now becomes our sorrow.
Rabbi Alexander Schindler, former president of Union of American
Hebrew Congregations

The dramatic
threat of ecological breakdown is teaching us the extent to which
greed and selfishness . . . are contrary to the order of creation.
. . . The ecological crisis is a moral issue. Pope John
Paul II

Environmental Justice

The "Golden
Rule"

"Not one of you
truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself."
The Prophet Muhammad, 13th of the 40 Hadiths of Nawawi

"In everything,
do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the
law and the prophets." Jesus, Matthew 7:12

"What is hateful
to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole Torah; all
the rest is commentary. Go and learn it." Hillel,
Talmud, Shabbath 31a

"Treat not others
in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." The Buddha,
Udana-Varga 5.1

Low income people and
people of color are among the most vulnerable to the adverse impacts
of global warming & air pollution. Author Ross Gelbspan notes
that "Enhanced CO2... will decimate food crop growth in the
tropical latitudes where the majority of the world's poorest and
hungriest people live."